Detroit has fired its coach Derek Lalonde and replaced him with Todd McLellan, the NHL club announced on Thursday.
The news comes after the team lost to St Louis on Christmas Eve, their ninth loss in the last twelve matches. With more than a third of the season played, Detroit, which has won the Stanley Cup eleven times, lies second to last in the Eastern Conference.
This will be 57-year-old McLellan's fourth assignment as head coach after having held the role in San Jose, Edmonton, and Los Angeles.
Detroit has six Swedish players in its current squad, including Lucas Raymond and Erik Gustafsson.
